Loud Thinking

The true cost of hiring yet another manager..!

Link:- http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/06/the-true-cost-of-hiring-yet-another-manager/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness%2Fweekly-hotlist+%28HBR+Blog+Network+Newsletter+Feed+-+Weekly+Hotlist%29&cm_ite=WeeklyHotlist-060614+%281%29&cm_lm=sp%3Anayyar51%40hotmail.com&cm_ven=Spop-Email

“Never be afraid to act. You never know how far away you are from your goal — sometimes just reaching out and putting in a little bit of effort can be enough. And, even if it’s not — you tried, and that’s far better than just sitting and waiting for a chance to present itself. If you want to achieve something you have to act, you have to take risks and you have to believe in yourself.”

— Author Unknown

How Great Firms Motivate Employees

Research shows that workers who are actively disengaged outnumber their more motivated colleagues by 2 to 1. The good news is that the companies that defy this trend do similar things – which you can use to build a more spirited workforce.
Hire stellar HR people. The best HR people have a gift for influencing, teaching, and holding executives accountable. They’re crucial guides for leaders and managers trying to develop employees.
Use straightforward performance management systems. Companies with the highest engagement levels use recognition to develop employees and encourage them to reach their highest potential.
Don’t pursue engagement for its own sake. It’s increasingly possible to measure and track engagement, but don’t start “managing to the metric.” Keep your eyes on the business goals that greater engagement can help you achieve.

Adapted by HBR from “ Seven Things Great Employers Do (That Others Don’t)” by Peter Flade, James Harter and Jim Asplund.

Latest update after attack at Karachi air port and killings of dozens of pilgrims at two hotels in Taftan near Iranian border.

Now, a time has come that Pakistan can not and must not allow this war, to be just a kind of a routine exercise, to wait for the terrorists to attack as per their will and evil designs; and after that we ask our law enforcing agencies, to go after them and kill them.

This sort of mind set will ruin us completely, sooner than later. Offence is the best defence. Pakistan must inform the United Nations, Afghanistan and India that come what may, Pakistan will launch severe punitive strikes inside Afghanistan, on its terrorists training bases and on the Indian Consulates, as well.

We must remember that when it comes to a do or die situation, specially for a nuclear power, then there is no going back. Precisely, this was the reason USA was absolutely ready for a nuclear war, when Russia planned to install missiles, in its back yard in Cuba.

Actually, the current strategy of our known enemies, to wage a out sourced third party war, to disintegrate and degenerate a nuclear Pakistan, suits them as the best option, without any cost to our enemies.

As such, it is high time our strategy is revamped and rehashed, to let our enemies and the whole world know very clearly that red lines of Pakistan’s conventional and nuclear threshold have been crossed; and we reserve the right to use any and all weapons, to safeguard our national interests.

This means clearly the use of nuclear and all weapons at our disposal, because we can’t sit idle and witness our own demise, without any punishment to the mischief mongers.

In this regard, if the UNO or the world powers wants to take steps to ensure peace on our western borders, we should have no objection, provided all the Indian consulates established, after the NATO invasion of Afghanistan, are permanently shut down, just as Russia accepted American demands, during the Cuban crisis.

So, for a nuclear Pakistan, enough is enough.

We must not forget that any all out nuclear war between India and Pakistan, will not only be a complete annihilation of both the countries, but it will spell dooms day, for the entire planet, as well.

Posted at www.snayyar.com by Syed Nayyar Uddin on January 9, 2014 in Counter Terrorism, India Peace and Pakistan, My Views, Pakistan, Terrorism |
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How to win Pakistan’s world war..?

Pakistan is not in an ordinary war rather, for us it is our world war, which is being fought for the life and death of Pakistan. This type of war has not been witnessed by any other nation, in the history of the world.

Moreover, it seems that this fight may not end very soon, in the near future. As such, our civil, military and all non military people, will have to stand united in front of the terrorists, who are hell bent to fight this war, not in our back yard, but right in the middle of our house.

In view of the seriousness of the situation and to keep the motivation of the general public alive, it is imperative to immediately announce the following initiatives:

1. Shaheed Chaudhry Aslam SSP and Shaheed Aitzaz Hussain (the 9th class student of Hangu, who grabbed the suicide bomber) may be awarded the highest national bravery award, for offering ultimate sacrifice, in beyond the call, performance of their duties.

2. As a safety and precautionary step, government must announce that with immediate effect, no vehicle of any type, including cycles and motor cycles etc., be allowed to enter or be parked in any bazaar, throughout the country. This is a harsh and very inconvenient step, but it may save many lives.

3 (i). In any crime investigations, the first logical step is to find the beneficiary of that criminal act. Here, in Pakistan we have observed a pattern, which reveals that either, the terrorists have been targeting the GHQ, Naval and Air Force bases or indulging in specific targeted attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers, Chinese, foreigners and Pakistani minorities.

3 (ii). All these operations are carried out (at specifically chosen vital timings) not only to inflict maximum men and material losses, but also to undermine Pakistan’s military power; and create isolation in foreign policy, economy, sports and tourism etc.

3 (iii). We should not be so naive to indefinitely close our eyes and ignore the role of huge number of Indian consulates, specially based near the Pakistan’s western borders with Afghanistan.

3 (iv). In fact, the terrorism in Karachi and the insurgencies of Swat and Balouchistan are a clear testimony of the Indian evil designs, being perpetrated through these consulates in Afghanistan.

3 (v). However, Pakistan must rest assured that this Indian game plan, specifically designed to keep Pakistan burning for an indefinite period, will never cease, till such time we repay the Indians in the same coins, by devising a strategy, to fight fire with fire.

3 (vi). As such, it is high time that Pakistan officially warn India to immediately pack up all its consulates in Afghanistan, failing which Pakistan should also immediately take steps to establish its own consulates, in the border areas of all those countries, which share a common border with India e.g., China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and SriLanka etc.

4 (i). The sudden increase of acts of terrorism, highlights the importance of preventive measures to curb the menace of terrorism, which is causing severe losses to men, material and reputation of the country.

4 (ii). In the cases of terrorist attacks on the GHQ, PIDC house & Pakistan Navy air base, it was reported that the gang of attackers was residing in a rented house for quite some time, in an area not very far away from their targets. It was also reported that the neighbours of these houses were although, suspicious of these tenants yet; they kept quiet and did not tip area police, about their apprehensions.

4 (iii). Under the circumstances, there is a dire need for motivating general public, which must remain extra -vigilant, in playing their role of defending the motherland, by involvement of entire population of the country, to look out for the stay and suspicious activities of the terrorist, in their near vicinity.

4 (iv). As such, In order to make the stay of terrorists at any place almost impossible, it is proposed to actively involve the entire population to look out & hunt them. This objective can be easily achieved, by the announcement of the Government, that a reward of Rs. 50 millions shall be paid to any person, who informs the Police, about the terrorist staying in a house, hostel, hotel, rest house or any such place.

4 (v). If the war against terror is to be won quickly, the entire population of the country have to be geared up and involved in the task of watch and vigilance.

“I like people with depth, I like people with emotion, I like people with a strong mind, an interesting mind, a twisted mind, and also someone who can make me smile.”

— Abbey Lee Kershaw

Organizational change drives innovation and business value, but change initiatives often fail because of poor leadership. Your ability to be a change leader is essential to your company, and your career.

Harvard Business Review (HBR).

“A person may break your heart and damage your pride, but never ever give them the power to break your spirit.”

— Susan Gale

@nayyarahmad: Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab kindly step in to stop the loot and plunder of parents by the private schools…! Enough… http://t.co/nQR04NLHNQ

My letter published today by the “Frontier Post”.

An urgent appeal to the PM

Posted on 2014-06-07 05:05:12

“An urgent appeal to the PM”

For the glory and projection of Pakistan’s soft image, kindly issue immediate necessary orders, for display of banners in the entire Brazil (particularly airports) and at all football stadiums, saying “Made in Pakistan footballs welcomes you to the World Cup”.

Such opportunities to build the image of our motherland only comes in decades and must not
be missed.

Moreover, Pakistani coloured shirts which should have written (Pakistan the bronze medal winners of the street children football World Cup2014) should also be distributed free in Brazil.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Lahore

Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab kindly step in to stop the loot and plunder of parents by the private schools…!

Enough is enough.

Kids asked to bring Rs6000 for parents’ day, Rs3000 for sports gala

A “Pakistan Observer” news.

Friday, June 06, 2014 – Islamabad

—What will be your reaction as parent of four or five kids all studying at private school(s), when each of them comes to you and demands Rs6000 as Parents Day charges. Still more, how will you digest hard (and of course bitter) pill when you come to know that delay of a week or two in payment of your kids’ fee has cost you Rs5000 extra? Most of the ‘high profile’ private schools turning a deaf ear to the murmurs of protest by the parents keep raising fees under various heads.

Besides charging annual tuition fees, they keep demanding huge amounts under one pretext or the other and there is no one to check them. Perhaps, those who can fix it enjoy fee relaxation or their kids study abroad. Thus entire burden is shifted to common families. Pakistan Observer in a survey grabbed a number of summer vacations fee slips/receipts of the junior class students of some of the high-profile schools. Interestingly in the fee receipts of June-Aug 2014, (usually schools are closed these months due to summer vacations) “generator charges” have been included.

Talking to Pakistan Observer a number of mothers complained against the private schools’ unfair arbitrary decisions of raising fees and including extra charges in the regular bills. Fee raise has become an everyday matter, said one of the distraught mother of a class 2 boy. They (the private schools) have already charged three-month (June-Aug 2014) tuition fee that varies from Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000. However, in the same receipts besides exorbitant tuition fees and unfair “generator charges,” various heads are given under which huge amount s are charged. These are: Advance Tax: Rs8000, Parents Day: Rs6000, Generator Charges: 900 and many similar expenses, she said. Another interesting addition is that of “Miscellaneous.” One can ask what is left in this head to charge from the already drained charge, she said. About the stationery charges she said a school of very famous nomenclature has strictly asked the students to return the books to them after they move over to new grade. “We have asked them again and again why our kids need to return the books to them despite the fact we have paid stationery charges. However they have no reply to this,” said she.

“We have to pay a total of around Rs55,000 to Rs60,000 fee every three months,” said the distraught mother. Most of the parents with limited means, drain away all their savings on excessive school charges, said another mother. “I know a number of families where mother of a private school going child has to work along with her husband only to be able to share the financial burden,” she said.

However, the situation worsens when some families have two or more kids, said a lady teacher. “Many couples that live in Islamabad have to work day and night without thinking of their own rest or respite. They are chasing one dream, one goal i.e. to give their children the “best” education,” said the lady teacher who teaches at a famous private school of the federal capital.

She admitted the private schools are more of business houses than centres of learning and excellence. According to her, every teacher in the private school she teaches— from principal to the staff members—is directed by the administration to impose maximum fine on students. “We are compelled to carry out the orders,” she said adding “when some of us resisted they were plainly told that they could lose their jobs.”

Pakistan Observer when tried to contact principal of a private school, she assigned the “duty” to her vice-principal (VP). When this scribe inquired of the VP why heavy fees under bizarre heads were being charged from students, she said Advance Tax was refundable while the Parents Day is a mega event of colourful activities. Usually, we hold various stalls and arrange food for the guests as well as the students and teachers on this occasion. It is therefore we have to charge some amount from students as well to meet our expenses, she said. When she was asked why the school did not look for other sources of income rather than putting burden on already financially-pressed parents, she refused to speak further saying she had to attend a meeting.

On the other hand, officials of the Ministry of CADD and Federal Directorate of Education are least bothered about the private schools’ affairs. An office-bearer of the Association of Private Schools of Islamabad on condition of anonymity said the association receives huge funds as support from these private schools. This makes us obliged to them and you cannot expect from us to move against our benefactors, he said.

According to a senior retired teacher, giving best education to children is every parent’s top most priority. Even middle class families’ first choice is some English-medium private school of repute. Until a few years ago, even the low-income families could afford to send their boys or girls to some prestigious English-medium school. However, the situation has entirely changed for last couple of years. Now even well-off families are not able to afford the school (private) fees, he said.